Start with the shift boot. To remove it, pull up by pinching the leather along the 2 longest sides. The boot is snapped into the console and it will come up when you pull.

Once the boot is unsnapped, reach in and disconnect the wire harness that powers the lighted shift knob.

Pull the shift knob straight up. Use 2 hands. Be careful not to hit yourself in the face when you do this, or hit your knuckles on the rear view mirror. Remember: do not twist the knob as you pull. It will unsnap from the selector rod.

If you are re-using your stock shift knob, you will need to cut it off of the stock boot and glue the exposed leather onto the rim of the shift knob. Use a good contact cement for this like 3M Wedgewood that you can buy at Lowes stores. Turn your aftermarket or replacement boot inside out. Feed the wire harness for your lighted knob (if you are using one) through the neck opening of your new boot. Slide your new boot onto the selector rod. Line up your knob and snap it onto the selector rod.

Connect the wire harness. Turn your boot right side out and snap the new boot onto the center console.

Then move on to the e-brake boot. To remove the stock boot, pull up at the back of the boot by pinching the leather with your fingers. No tools.

Turn the boot inside out over the e-brake handle.

Cut the factory tie wrap off at the neck of the boot and slide the boot off of the e-brake assembly. Turn your aftermarket boot inside out and slide it back onto the e-brake assembly. Re-install a new tie wrap and make sure you line it up to the groove in the brake handle. Take care to make sure you secure the entire neck of the new boot, all the way around the handle.

Turn the boot right side out. Snap it back into the console.

Good job. Remember to use genuine Alcantara and not Ultrasuede or a lower grade product. BMW always uses real Alcantara which is actually a very dark gray.

Looks great...going to order mine now from LeatherZ. I've done this so many times in my old cars but I've never reused the stock knob. Was it hard to cut the leather and glue it down? I feel like it won't look flush if I do this. Any pics of exactly how you did it? Thanks!

Was it hard to cut the leather and glue it down? I feel like it won't look flush if I do this. Any pics of exactly how you did it? Thanks!

It is easy. Be careful not to cut the wire harness. Leave about 1/8" leather from the bottom of the shift knob. Paint the inside of the leather and the end of the knob with contact cement. Wait 10 minutes, then press the leather in place. You can clamp it for an hour if you want, or hold the knob with some pressure for a few minutes.

Man, why would'nt just take off these covers, take it down the cap shop that embroiders caps and ask them to sew a Red & Blue stitch down each seam. This way you still have the nice leather and end up with the BMW look stitching.

It would probably cost $10.

My $0.02

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X5 F15 M50d White, 20"rims, Yellow Calipers, Ceramic Pads. Better off saying what it does not have and that's a B&O Audio System, otherwise all option boxes are ticked.

Man, why would'nt just take off these covers, take it down the cap shop that embroiders caps and ask them to sew a Red & Blue stitch down each seam. This way you still have the nice leather and end up with the BMW look stitching.